Mean spinners must get menacing, insists Graeme Swann

Mean spinners must get menacing, insists Graeme Swann

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Graeme Swann

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Graeme Swann

Challenge: Swann was speaking at the Kinect Sports Superstars interactive game for Xbox 360 event

Aggressive: Graeme Swann is always on the front foot for England

Graeme Swann has set the standard for young spinners since breaking into the England team but has warned his possible successors they must change their approach to have a chance of emulating his achievements.

Swann has been outstanding since forcing his way into the England side late in 2008, an off-spinner who can be at once miserly and menacing. His control gives our pace bowlers the freedom to attack and, when conditions favour him, Swann can win matches, as he proved by bowling the tourists to victory over Australia at Adelaide in December.

Yet Swann is concerned that not enough English slow bowlers are willing to copy his forceful method. The 32-year-old is irritated that too many are willing simply to defend, rather than attempting to turn the ball.

"One of my bugbears is spin bowlers who just try to put it on a length and don't do anything with it," said Swann. "It works in one-day cricket but I'm a big believer that if you're a spinner, you should spin it as hard as you can.

"I really like [Yorkshire leg-spinner] Adil Rashid because he really tries to turn it. So many other spinners, while they've got great control, I wouldn't consider them great slow bowlers because they don't try to turn it.

"It's great for tying down batsmen but they won't take five or six wickets on the last day of a game and take their team to victory. I hope young kids can take something from the way I bowl. If people are willing to try to spin it as hard as they can, then I'm doing a good job. The day I stop doing it is probably the day I decide it's time to pack it in."

England captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower will hope that such a day is still some way away. The three-match Test series against Sri Lanka begins in Cardiff on May 26, while India are the opposition for four Tests later in the summer. Their batting line-up is likely to provide an exacting challenge for Swann and his colleagues.

The England and Wales Cricket Board will also hope that the Sri Lanka series is not devalued by some of the tourists' participation in the Indian Premier League. Seven members of the squad have been granted permission to arrive here in time for the second tour match against England Lions at Derby, which is only a week before the First Test.

Swann was not bought in the auction for the IPL but, regardless of that, he knows where his priorities lie. "International cricket takes precedence over everything," he added.

The importance Swann attaches to representing his country has led him to believe that England are playing too much. Following the tour of Australia and the World Cup, England face a similarly busy summer. Swann has no fears for the future of Test cricket but believes squad rotation will play an increasing role as teams seek to make the best of their heavy schedules.

"It's inevitable some players will miss a series here or there," he said. "Test cricket will always be number one for me and after that Twenty20 is the future of the one-day game."

Australia spin great Shane Warne today announced he will retire at the end of the IPL season. The 41-year-old, who quit Test cricket in 2007, is captain of the Rajasthan Royals.

Graeme Swann was speaking at the Kinect Sports Superstars interactive game for Xbox 360 event in London, where he took part in challenges with table tennis star Darius Knight, skeleton gold medal winner Amy Williams and gymnast Louis Smith. For further information, please visit www.xbox.com/kinectsports